The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-02-17

county Jail. n
By Mr.. Rugel-Amendment that the act
of voting and not a mere otter TO vote
shall constitute the offense. Adopted.
The bill was engrossed.
House bill No. IA and house bill No. 80
amending various features of the game
law we're engrossed with amendments ex-
cepting numerous counties from the pro-
visions of the law.
Senate bill No. u, amending article GIL
of the code of procedure, relative to ser
vice of summons in capital cases, passed
to third reading.
Senate bill No. 81, amending article
1856 of revised statutes, relative to time
of rendition of judgments by justices OF
the peace, passed to third reading.
Senate bill No. 45, amending article 6O2
of revised statutes, relative to hiring coun-
| ty convicts, was considered.
The bill allows q credit of % cents a
day to convicts towards paying the hne
and costs assessed againt them.
An amendment by Mr.. Bassett, the
colored member from Grimes county, to
make the allowance so cents was de-
| feated.
| Al du6uuuIeug ny -uL' OtoHoAOAN W
make it 40 cents was adopted.
The bill passed to third reading.
House bill No. 50, increasing the salary
of penitentiary chaplains to $500, was de
feated. Ayes, 80; noes, II.
House bill No. 81, making person
charged with crime competent to testify
as a witness at his own request but not
otherwise, and providing shat the failure
to make such request shall not constitute
a presumption against him was engrossed,
with committee amendment that the fail
ure to testify shall not be commented on
by counsel before the jury.
| House bill No. SO, amending article $50
of the code of procedure. and repeating
article $50 so as to allow appeals from
justices of the peace, mayors and record
ers' courts to be tried de novo, and may
be tried by consent without the presence
of the offenders, was engrossed.
House bill 50, amending the law pro-
hibiting keeping drinking saloons open
near the polls on election days was dis
cussed, 1t prohibits keeping them or
selling Intoxicating liquors within three
miles of the voting precinct village, town
or city where elections are held under
penalty of fine from 800 to $500.
Mr.. Plumly argued that if liquor selling
was recognized by license as lawful pur
suit it should be allowed to be carried on
the same as other business. If any one
here has been defeated, he said, for an Of
fee, he knows how thirsty man feels
during elections. Laughter. But,
whether candidate was successful or de-
featad, was not the question, no matter
what might be his appetite. 1t was not
right to extOrt hours of business from
men and subject them to losses and
higher licenses than in other pursuits. SO
ne offered an amendment providing that
at the closing of the legal time fixed for
holding an election man may get a
drink. laughter.
Mr.. Plumley's amendment was defeated;
ayes-31; nays, 40.
Mr.. Biard, of Brown, offered an amend
ment, which was adopted, providing
against "little brown jugs" being quar-
tered too conveniently near the polls.
The bill was ordered engrossed.
Mr.. Garwood had entered a motion to
reconsider the action taken on house
bill 81.
House adjourned until $3.50 Thursday.
THURSDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
The house was called to order by the |
speaker. Prayer by the chaplain.
On motion or Mr.. Buchanan, house bill |
No. 60 was reconsidered and ordered en-
crossed. 1t extends the time fixed by the
game law in which the killing of par
tridges is prohibited one month, to the
first of October
Mr.. Beard, of Lamar, had entered
motion to reconsider the vote by which
house bill No. 80 was defeated.
Mr.. Garwood moved to reconsider the
vote on house bill No. 81, amending
articles and 10, of the constitution, as
to property rights of aliens in this state.
Carried.
Various substitutes and amendments
we're proposed and considered, resulting
in the bill being amended by striking out
article 10 of the bill, which leaves the ex
sting law as 1t is as to persons acquiring
property in Texas who declare their in
tention to become citizens of the United
States, and the bill was engrossed.
1t was argued that the state could not
change this provision in contrayention of
the federal constitution.
Mr. Browning cited from history tn.
case of the five Welchman who lost their |
power by foreign concessions, and con- {
ended that man should not hold prop. 6
'rty here till he became a I
'itizen of the state. The statute /
is it stands was, he thought, a
bout as good as the bill. Those Who a
ome here should be subject to the same b
luties as ourselves, and assume the same t
BURDENS, and not be allowed to eniov onr
privileges and avoid responsibility in e
far. !
Mr.. Robinson asked, have we a free
ountry! and was opposed to the law. He
id not think we should restrict men who {
anne here with good purposes, and wanted {
D buy our lands. No matter if they did {
OF want to fight for us, we were able TO
o our own fighting.
Mr. Moore, of Travis, argued that men
nth means should be encouraged to in
est their means in the state.
Mr. Pope opposed the bill on constitu-
ional grounds. l
Mr.. Bell, of Cook, argued that it was
.uestlon controlled by congress, and l
propositions to change its effects were eff {
orts to pander to some particular senti-
lent in different communities. 6
Mr.. Richardson moved reconsideration J
+ the vote by which was adopted Mr.,
'aIrd's amendment to house bill No. on
ne oill prohibiting keeping saloons open S